give thought to the "fiscal cliff" when doing your christmas shopping? many americans did because cbs 5 reporter mike sugerman tells us retail numbers weren't good. >> reporter: i'm at union square which is mobbed. it's swinging. i spent the day here and it didn't get active until a couple of hours ago and as i look around, i don't see a lot of people with bags. i'm not sure they're shopping. but the retailers really hope they will because because they are in a lot of hurt. susan wanted to buy toys for her grandchildren but couldn't manage to go to a toy store. visions of the sandy hook elementary school massacre were in her head. >> i couldn't take the shopping and seeing all the little kids 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, particularly saddens me. >> reporter: she bought gift cards instead and none of the extra stuff she might have been found being in stores. december retail is a bummer in the news and stores. >> this is not at all a good holiday season for the retailer. >> reporter: it could have been for the customer. >> 495. our price is 179 and an additio